


Oh, Lazarus, how did your debts get paid?

by Emjen_Enla



Series: Prompted Works [44]
Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: (not really but I like to play it safe), Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Deception, Dysfunctional Family, Emetophobia, Episode: s04e06 The Company, Faking Someone's Death, Family Drama, Gen, Headaches & Migraines, Missing Scene, lying to your family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:01:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26276830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emjen_Enla/pseuds/Emjen_Enla
Summary: “Bold move faking Arthur’s death without telling the rest of the family,” Polly said. “Even bolder to assume I would go along with it.” Or Tommy and Polly meet to talk strategy after Arthur's "death."Written for Peaky Blinders Appreciation Week Day 4: Missing Moments.
Relationships: Polly Gray & Tommy Shelby
Series: Prompted Works [44]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1366669
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	Oh, Lazarus, how did your debts get paid?

**Author's Note:**

> So, story time, this fic was originally written for Day 6, but then last week I got a really great idea for a different fic for Day 6 so I moved this fic to today and tabled both my original idea for this fic and the request I got for it. I'll try to get back to those soon. Hopefully you all enjoy this fic anyway.
> 
> In my head, this is a continuation of [this fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21540553) but it should still make sense without having read that one.
> 
> The title is from "Blood On My Name" by The Brothers Bright.

“Bold move faking Arthur’s death without telling the rest of the family,” Polly said. “Even bolder to assume I would go along with it.”

Tommy sighed. He was sitting on the edge of his bed in his tiny Small Heath bedroom. He hadn’t turned on any lights and Polly wasn’t sure why he seemed determined to sit in the dark. He was pinching the bridge of his nose his one hand, the other was holding a half empty glass of whiskey and wrapped somewhat protectively around his stomach. “And yet you did.”

And yet she had. In the moment, it had seemed natural to do as Tommy said and take part in the duping of the whole family, but now that the moment was over she wasn’t sure why she had. The family was never going to win prizes for total honesty but this was something else entirely. She almost couldn’t believe that Tommy had suggested it, let alone that she, Linda and Arthur were going along with it.

“What happens now?” Polly asked. “When are we going to tell Ada and Finn what’s going on?”

Tommy swallowed heavily. “We’re not.”

“We’re not?” she asked. “Tommy, Ada and Finn are downstairs crying because they think Arthur’s dead!”

Tommy shook his head. “Ada won’t understand why this needs to be done and Finn isn’t a good enough actor; he’ll give it away.”

He wasn’t wrong but that was different than saying this wasn’t absolutely despicable. “And you expect them to just forgive you when they realize the truth?”

Tommy dropped his hand and squinted up at her. “I expect them to be alive.”

She was surprised to hear that. She hadn’t thought Tommy cared what happened to any them, not after the way he hadn’t reacted—or more hadn’t reacted—to John’s death. “Interesting that you would care.” It was a low blow, one that she would never have stooped before prison and the noose. Perhaps stooping to it now was terrible, but she didn’t regret it.

“And why are you squinting like that?” she continued when he didn’t respond. “It’s dark as a tomb in here.”

He swallowed heavily, like he was fighting the urge to be sick. “Headache. I’m fine.”

“I didn’t ask,” she said stiffly even though she kind of had. She did care, it was just that she wasn’t sure he deserved her caring, especially not after what he’d set in motion today. “So, what’s the plan? You said we could use this charade to win the vendetta. How?”

Tommy sighed, pinched the bridge of his nose again and then must have come to some kind of decision, because he eased himself down onto the bed. He was moving gingerly, like his bones were made of glass. The last time Polly had seen him move like that he had been in the hospital after his head injury. Despite herself she was becoming increasingly worried about him though she would still rather shoot herself in the foot than admit it.

“I’ll get back to you about next steps in the morning,” Tommy admitted, his eyes squeezed closed. “I can’t think straight enough to plan right now.”

That was a big admission for him but it was somewhat overshadowed by the other part, for which Polly was actually somewhat thankful. “You can’t plan _right now_? So, you don’t know how we’re going to use this to end the vendetta? You told me that you had it all worked out!”

Tommy opened his eyes and winced against the nonexistent light. He gave her a watery, squinty glare. “And when, exactly, in between saving Arthur’s ass and convincing everyone he was dead was I supposed to have had time come up with this plan?”

She hissed air out between her teeth and reminded herself why it would be a bad idea to start shouting. They couldn’t have Ada or Finn coming up here wondering what was going on. She realized she’d already decided to keep going along with this madness and that made her want to shout even more. “And will you actually be informing me of the plan tomorrow morning or will this be round one million of ‘Tommy Shelby schemes alone and the rest of us go along with his bullshit.’”

Tommy winced, though perhaps that was just from the headache. “I’ll tell you the plan in the morning,” he promised.

“You better,” she said, then turned on her heal and stalked out of the room. She slammed the door behind her which was petty and she immediately felt bad for it, but it wasn’t like she was going to open the door an apologize so she just headed downstairs to see how Ada and Finn were doing.


End file.
